Agriculture remains pivotal for Somalia’s economic stability, food security, and rural development. Evaluation Report on Agricultural Support Policy in Somalia, the government, alongside international organizations like FAO, has implemented various agricultural support policies to bolster productivity, particularly for smallholder farmers.
- Current Support Policies Until recently, Somali agricultural support primarily encompassed:
- Seed provision: 5 kg/ha
- Fertilizer provision: 25 kg/ha
- Fuel for irrigation: 18 liters/ha
However, support was capped at a maximum of:
- 100 kg of fertilizer
- 200 kg of seed
- 15 hours of tractor tillage assistance
This was designed to ensure widespread coverage among small-scale farmers.
2. Recent Policy Adjustments (Last Year) Last year, the government introduced significant adjustments:
- Increased support quantity limits for larger farms to encourage productivity and efficiency.
- Enhanced distribution networks for timely and equitable input allocation.
- Stronger emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices and resource management.
These changes aim to optimize resource use, enhance farm productivity, and boost overall agricultural outputs.
3. Impact of Policy Changes Early evaluations indicate that the new support model has:
- Improved yield per hectare notably in supported regions.
- Encouraged greater farmer participation in agricultural activities.
- Enhanced resource management efficiency, particularly in fuel and fertilizer use.
4. Challenges and Recommendations Despite the improvements, some challenges remain:
- Limited coverage for remote and less accessible farming areas.
- Resource misallocation due to inadequate farmer profiling.
Reference
International Journal of All Research Education and Scientific Methods (IJARESM), ISSN: 2455-6211, Volume 12, Issue 10, October-2024, Available online at: www.ijaresm.com Agricultural Policy Frameworks in Somalia: The Role of Cash Plus Subsidies in Supporting Smallholder Farmer. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.ijaresm.com/uploaded_files/document_file/Abdinasir_MohamedAokL.pdf
Alberto Cauli. A Colonizing Agricultural Company in Somalia: 2018, The Duke of Abruzzi‟s Società Agricola Italo-Somala in the Italian Colonial Fascist System Fondazione. Anonymous. Overview of country profile, 2022, Somalia https://data.worldbank.org/country/somalia. Areh, A1.
